First child flu case confirmed in Sussex

Two children, one from Sussex County, have been confirmed as the first in the state this season to contract the flu, officials say.

Both children are under the age of 4 – one is a boy from Sussex County and the other is a girl from New Castle County, said Andrea Wojcik, chief of community relations for the Division of Public Health.

The two pediatric flu cases bring the total flu count this season to 14 for the week ending Nov. 11, she said. Another eight cases were preliminarily confirmed for the week ending Nov. 18.

Wojcik said there are two main types of influenza virus - types A and B - that routinely spread in people and are responsible for seasonal flu outbreaks each year. Both pediatric cases of lab-confirmed influenza are type A.

DPH encourages Delawareans six months and older to get vaccinated against the flu. 

Last flu season, Wojcik said, Delaware had 4,590 confirmed flu cases, 15 of which were fatal. 

Flu symptoms are sudden and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headaches and body aches, chills and fatigue. Those sick with the flu should stay home from work, school and other activities. They should not return until their temperature has dropped below 100 degrees Fahrenheit without the use of fever-reducing medicine, Wojcik said.